Sisters of the Humility of Mary Legacy Trust Provides $50,000 in Grants

The Sisters of the Humility of Mary not only founded and sponsor Magnificat High School, but they also support the school through special grants from the HM Legacy Trust Board. This year, Magnificat was fortunate to receive two grants from the Sisters: one for tuition assistance and one for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) belonging and leadership programming.

“On behalf of Magnificat, I am extremely grateful to the HM Sisters for their generous ongoing support of our school,” President Moira Clark ’77 said. “These grants will help us live our Mission and Values by fostering a truly inclusive and welcoming environment for students.”

The Board granted $20,000 to provide $5,000 in tuition assistance to four students, one in each grade, who would otherwise not be able to attend Magnificat for financial reasons. This is the 11th year that Magnificat has received a grant from the Board for tuition assistance, and the amount has increased significantly since the first one issued in 2010.

“Tuition assistance allows more students to attend Magnificat and benefit from our holistic education,” said Vice President of Mission Emerita Sister Helen Jean Novy, HM, who submitted the grant application. “We are blessed to have a strong bond with the HM community, whose mission to bring more abundant life to God’s people directly aligns with our school.”

Magnificat also received a $30,000 grant from the Board for a first-year experience and leadership development program for BIPOC students led by Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Janetta Hammock. This grant will support a multifaceted effort to engage BIPOC freshmen in a smooth transition to Magnificat where they feel welcomed and included.

The project includes:

• Training older BIPOC students as mentors to younger students in coordination with four affinity groups.

• Improving the BIPOC Family and Student orientations.

• Fostering networking between students and alumnae.

• Participating in diversity conferences and retreats.

“This generous grant allows us to provide specialized programming for BIPOC students during their critical first year at Magnificat,” Hammock said. “We know that students who feel a strong connection to the school community in their first year are more likely to succeed academically and socially and benefit from all that Magnificat has to offer—including a variety of academic offerings, diverse student clubs, and a supportive sisterhood that often leads to lifelong friendships.”